A Tribe's Life 1
by PokemonWarriorcats
Summary: Four cats are told in a prophecy that they'll lead their Tribes through troubled times. But dark shadows of an unknown enemy and secrets from the past haunt their every step. Will the four cats succeed? Or lead their tribes to distruction?   Warrior cats.
1. Prologue

**Alana: Right! A new story to refresh my mind!**

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><p>The pale clouds parted and the woods became bathed in silvery moonlight. A dark shape moved in the shadows. Silently, stealthily down the moss covered rocks. It leapt and bounded so easily down to a silent pool in the centre of a ring of pebbles. The dark grey cat sat down at the pool's side.<p>

"Let all cats from the Tribe of Shooting Stars gather at the Pool of Sacred Tears!" Her loud meow echoed confidentially through the towering oaks.

One by one, the dark outlines of cats trotted out of the undergrowth. They sat down around the pool without a word.

When all the cats have seated, a fiery pelted queen stood up.

"We're all here Echosong Stars." She meowed.

Echosong Stars nodded, her grey pelt sparkling under the moonbeams.

"Thank you Flameheart Stars." She looked around her. "I have seen a prophecy from the skies. The four tribe's destiny will rest on four young shoulders."

A muscular black tom stood up. "I have seen this too." His meow rumbled so deeply it sounded like a growl. "These cats are yet to be born."

"We must warn the Alphas!" A yowl rose from above. "These four cats need to be well mentored!"

"And they will be, Nightrose, be patient." Echosong Stars murmured softly.

The water in the pool rippled, even though there was no wind to disturb it. All the cats fell silent and peered into the pool. Four unclear shapes of cats appeared, their eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"They'll be fine young cats." The midnight black tom rumbled.

"Oh, yes, Darkstorm, they will be."

The clouds covered the moon again and the slick pelted cats left the clearing and melted away into the trees.

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><p><strong>Alana: Ok! Time to hit the review button guys!<strong>


	2. Tribe of Distant Thunder

**Alana: What's a story, without updating?**

**Echosong Stars: I agree.**

**Darkstorm: The young cats need to be born…**

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><p>"Get off my tail you fluffball!" A squeaky yowl rose from behind a bramble barrier.<p>

"You're getting in the way!" A squeal replied.

A snowy white, long haired queen squeezed through the brambles. "Stop fighting, Iron, Brindle! You've been fidgeting ever since you were born!"

"He started it!" A black she-kit with a white tail tip had somehow gotten tangled up in a ball of moss.

"No, no mum!" the orange tabby he-kit wailed. "Iron ate my part of the mouse!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Liar! I just ate the bit that was sticking out!"

"That bit was mine!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Ok, that enough." The white queen growled impatiently. "Why don't you kits go out and play?"

The two fluffy kittens shook their ruffled pelts and tumbled out into the clearing.

A purr rumbled behind them. Iron and Brindle whirled around.

"Hello dad!" Iron chirped.

The sandy yellow tom nudged the tiny kits across the clearing with his greyish yellowish snout. "You've been born for two days already. It's about time you said hello to the rest of the Tribe."

A light grey tom with black spots hopped from the ledge he sat on. "They're beautiful kits, Sallowsnout! They look like they'll make fine warriors!"

"Of course." Sallowsnout dipped his head respectfully. "There're Chillwind's kits. She's the best warrior I know."

The light grey tom blinked down at the kits. "Well show them the warrior's nests and tell them to keep out."

Then he spun around and padded away.

_Was that it?_ Iron thought watching the tom disappear through a barrier of thorns. _Are all cats that cold?_

"He's the leader." Sallowsnout's meow made Iron jump. "Servalsteam Stars. He had a lot of work to do."

He raised his tail for Iron and Brindle to follow. Iron wanted to know more.

"Dad, only leaders can get the last name Stars right?"

"Yes." He replied distractedly, staring at something in the distance.

Brindle peered out behind him. "Dad?"

Sallowsnout turned to them. "Servalstream Stars wants me out on a hunting trip; can you get back to the kit nests by yourselves?"

"Of course!" Brindle yowled. "We've not stupid!"

Sallowsnout was already bounding away. "Stay out of the warrior's nests!" He called back before wiggling under the undergrowth.

"But you didn't tell us where it is!" Iron wailed.

But Sallowsnout was already gone.

"Oh well, we'll explore ourselves. Come _on_ Brindle! Race you to the bramble barrier."

"But we're not –"

Iron ran off.

Brindle watched her sister wiggle under the brambles. He padded hesitantly towards her.

"Iron! We're supposed to stay near the – "

"Oh, WOW!"

Curiosity made Brindle crawl under the thorns.

Iron turned. "I thought you weren't coming!"

"We should stay together." Brindle meowed, looking over Iron's head.

He saw trees. Millions of them. They filled the land and the sky, stretching as far as he could see. Brindle crooked he head to one side.

"How far does the world stretch?"

Iron struggled. "Probably forever."

"I can't walk that far!"

The wind picked up. The branches swayed and leaves swirled about in the air.

Iron dug her tiny claws into the earth. "We should go back." She whined uneasily.

Brindle nodded. His eyes wide with fear.

They ran side by side, their pelts brushing, back to the safety of the camp.

When they burst through to the other side, they were greeted by a very worried and very upset queen.

"Where have you two _been_?" She gasped as she started to clean their pelts. "You two are not going anywhere out of the nursery until you learn how to follow my words!"

Iron wiggled under her mother's rough tongue. "She didn't wash you _this_ hard!" She complained.

Chillwind nudged Iron along as she picked up Brindle by the scruff. Ignoring Brindle's wails, she disappeared through the brambles.

Above them on the ledge, Servalstream Stars watched them. He's eyes narrowed they disappeared from sight as if deep in thought.

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><p><strong>Alana: What will happen next?<strong>

**Iron: No way! Servalstream Stars saw us?**

**Brindle: *Whimper***


	3. Meeting Hickoryboulder

**Note: Do not read the bold section if you started reading this story after 29/08/11.**

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><p><strong>Alana: Ok. I'm moving the story a <strong>**little**** bit away from the original plot line so…**

**Spotted: Yeah, sure, a little bit.**

**Alana: … You're now know as Brindle**

**Alana: Sorry for changing the cats' names. I need that for something later on. (If you read this story before 29/08/11, you might want to reread chapter 2)**

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><p>Sunshine streaked through the bramble barrier as Iron stretched open her eyes. She yawned as she waited for them to stop being blurry.<p>

Iron and Brindle are one month old. They've both grown larger and more sensible. They're not squeaking kits anymore. Iron stood up and stretched. Then, nudging Brindle awake, she padded out the brambles.

Brindle snapped his jaws in annoyance but stumbled out after Iron. A long haired grey tom stood on High Ledge, yowling out orders of hunting and other patrols.

Iron tilted her head. "Who made him the boss?"

"He's the deputy." A deep growl rumbled behind them.

Iron spun around. "W-what?"

"The deputy," The dark smoky grey, almost black she-cat growled, showing her teeth, "he'll become the leader one day."

Brindle and Iron stared at this powerful cat before them. "Who are you?" Iron managed to whimper.

The she-cat's eyes narrowed. "I'm Hickoryboulder. Do your parents know you're here?"

"Yes." A familiar growl replied behind them. Chillwind paced towards them. She guided Iron and Brindle away. When they were on the other side of the clearing, she sat down.

"I want you to stay away from Hickoryboulder." The white queen murmured.

"Why?"

Chillwind sighed heavily. "Hickoryboulder used to be a warrior – "

"Isn't he one now?"

"Wait till I finish."

"Sorry."

"Anyway Hickoryboulder used to be a warrior." Chillwind continued. "She was very rough and believed to only reason to live is to fight and defend what is hers."

"Isn't it?"

Chillwind turned sharply to Iron. "It is in battle." She growled. "But Hickoryboulder thought everyone was bad until proven otherwise. She doesn't know the meaning of peace and fights whoever she can get her paw on."

Chillwind looked up to the sky. "Then our ancestors decided that it was enough. So they sent him a prophecy to become a healer. Healers do not attend in battles and their work was to help injured tribe mates."

"So Hickoryboulder can't battle?" Brindle asked.

"That's why I want you to keep out of her way." Chillwind replied. "She still believes that she's the only true warrior here and will do anything to prove this," Chillwind locked her gaze with the two kits, "you might be her target."

Chillwind stood up and padded back to the kit nests, leaving to two frightened kits alone.

As soon as Chillwind left, Hickoryboulder approached the two young kits, her broad shoulders rippling with muscles. "Come with me." She growled as she walked past them to the bramble barrier that blocked the exit.

She paused there, waiting for the kits to follow. The two kits glanced at each other with terror.

"What now?" Brindle whimpered.

"She might hurt us if we don't go…" Iron fidgeted.

"What'll she do if we _do_ go?" Brindle hissed.

"Well?" Hickoryboulder snapped impatiently.

Casting a desparate glance at each other, ears back and eyes wide with fear, the two kits followed Hickoryboulder out to the forest.

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><p><strong>Alana: DUUUNNN DUNNNN DUNNNN! What'll happen next?<strong>

**Hickoryboulder: *snarl***

**Alana: (trying the best to imitate) *Morwl***


	4. About the Tribes

**!—Spoilers Warning-!**

**DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER UNLESS YOU **_**LIKE**_** SPOILERS. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!**

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><p><strong>Tribe of Shooting Stars<strong> Wise Ancestors

Star Tribe is the home of the spirit of all cats' warrior ancestors. As each cat dies, they are visited by a member of Star Tribe, usually a cats they have know before, and taken to join the starbound warriors. Star Tribe is represented by Jewelpelt, the sparkling swath of stars that stretches across the sky. Star Tribe is made up of cats from all Tribes; however, individual cat-spirits retain their old loyalties and watch over cats from the Tribe they used to belong to. Star Tribe warriors communicate with cats in the earthly Tribes in their dreams, or when they visit the Jewelrock deep underground at Steepstones. Tribe cats look to Star Tribe for help and guidance, but ultimately Star Tribe does not control what happens to the Tribes.

**Indroduced (or will be introduced) Star Tribe Cats.**

**Thunder Tribe:**

Luckclaw Stars –patch-pelted she-cat warrior with amber eyes.

Sable-eyes Stars – white tom with dark brown eyes.

Cypressember – green eyed tom with a flame coloured pelt.

Nutfur – brown she-cat with blue eyes.

Midnightspirit – large black tom with amber eyes.

**Wind Tribe:**

Sleetfall Stars – light grey tom with blue eyes.

Nightrose – black she-cat with blue eyes.

Greenflow – tortoiseshell she-cat with moss green eyes.

**River Tribe:**

Echosong Stars – dark grey she-cat with amber eyes.

Ironseed – dark tabby tom with green eyes.

Aster – dark blue-grey she-cat apprentice

**Shadow Tribe:**

Flameheart Stars – fiery pelted she-cat with frosty blue eyes.

Darkstorm – powerful, muscular midnight black tom with blue eyes.

Stareyes – silver tabby she-cat with midnight blue eyes.

**Tribe of Distant Thunder.**

**Clan Character**: In peace, respectful of other Tribes. In battle, fierce, courageous, and loyal. Thunder Tribe cats speak out for what is right and are not afraid to challenge the warrior code.

**Prey: **Mice, voles, squirrels, the rare rabbit, and birds like starlings, magpies, wood pigeons, and thrushes.

**Hunting Technique:** Excellent stalking skills. They keep upwind of their prey, creeping across the forest floor unseen and unheard.

**Territory:** Thunder Tribe lives in a forest.

**(Known) Cats of Thunder Tribe:**

**Leader:**

Servalstream Stars – Unusually spotted golden tom with frosty blue eyes.

**Deputy:**

Lynxdance –long haired grey tom with amber eyes.

**Healer:**

Hickoryboulder – dark smoky grey, almost black she-cat with green eyes.

**Warriors:**

Sallowsnout – sandy tom with green eyes and a greyish, yellowish snout. Father of Iron and Brindle. Apprentice: Wheat

Sincereflow– grey mix she-cat with amber eyes. Apprentice: Carven

Moonbreeze – Silver tom with vivid blue eyes and long whiskers.

Lowspot – brown tom with a yellow spot on his belly and amber eyes. Apprentice: Bristle

Blaregaze –tortoiseshell tom with amber eyes that speak louder than anything. Apprentice: Cypress

Moonwind – silver she-cat with vivid blue eyes and a long sweeping tail.

Lizardrain – brown tom with blue eyes.

Oakglint – brown mix tom with slick pelt and amber eyes.

Asterdown – calico she-cat with beautiful violet tinted eyes and slick pelt.

**Apprentices:**

Wheat – energetic young yellow tom with green eyes.

Carven – dark brown tom with long claws and hazel eyes.

Bristle – a young she-cat with blue eyes and ears with small tuffs at the ends.

Cypress - sturdy black tom with forest green eyes.

**Queens:**

Chillwind – snowy white queen with blue eyes. Mother of Iron and Brindle.

Heatherdrop – calio queen with pale blue-grey eyes. Expecting Moonbreeze's kits.

**Kits:**

Iron – black she-kit with a white tail tip and green eyes.

Brindle – orange tabby he-kit with amber eyes.

**Elders:**

Northsprig – grey she-cat with blue eyes

Silkleaf – grey she-cat with green eyes

**Tribe of Howling Wind**

**Tribe Character:** Fiercely loyal, tough, fast-running, and easily offended cats. They are nervous and quick to flee due to the lack of cover on the open moor. They take pride in being the closes Tribe to the Jewelrock. Of all the Tribes, they have the deepest knowledge of Twolegs form seeing them on the nearby farms.

**Prey:** Mainly rabbits

**Hunting Technique:** Fast, lean, and swift. Their short, smooths pelts of browns and greys blend in with the rocks and grasses.

**Territory:** Wind Tribe lives on the open moor.

**(Known) Cats of Wind Tribe:**

**Leader:**

Wrenspots Stars – Brown tabby tom with blue eyes. Father of Water, Ghost, and Brine.

**Deputy:**

Kiteriver – light grey she-cat with blue eyes

**Healer:**

Carventhrow – Dark brown tom with amber eyes

**Warriors: **

Summersprint – light grey tom with green eyes. Apprentice: Wheat

Flowerfur – Pinkish she-cat with green eyes. Apprentice: Grey

Burningflame – amber eyed tom with a flame coloured pelt

Waterpetal – calico she-cat with blue eyes

Dragongleam – grey tom with green eyes

Cottonbreeze – pale grey she-cat with blue eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Wheat – light yellow she-cat with green eyes

Grey - grey tom with amber eyes

**Queens:**

Burningtail – black-and-red-patched queen. Mother of Water, Ghost, and Brine.

**Kits:**

Water – light grey she-cat with blue eyes.

Ghost – light grey she-cat with amber eyes.

Brine – grey tom with blue eyes.

**Elders:**

Shaded-dash – dark grey tom with amber eyes

Shrub-blossom – calico she-cat with green eyes

Greenbone – grey tom with green eyes

**Tribe of Rushing River**

**Tribe Character: **Contented, sleek, well fed. Long fur and glossy coats. They love beautiful things and often collect rocks, shells, and feathers for their dens. They don not fear water.

**Prey:** Mainly fish but also water voles, shrews, and mice.

**Hunting Technique:** Strong swimmers, the move silently and scentless through the water. They scoop fish out of the water from the bank – a skill most cats in the other Tribes cannot master.

**Territory:** River Tribe territory is filled with creeks and streams.

**(Known) Cats of River Tribe:**

**Leader:**

Cardinalwing Stars – flame coloured tom with blue eyes

**Deputy:**

Cottengaze – calico she-cat with grey eyes

**Healer:**

Mossmist – light grey she-cat with green eyes. Apprentice: Little

**Warriors:**

Flaregem – red tom with green eyes. Apprentice: Yucca

Sedgecall – dark grey tom with green eyes. Apprentice: Glow

Hickorypelt – brown she-cat with amber eyes

Buckstorm – tortoiseshell tom with blue eyes. Father of Bumble and Ripple.

Dragoncloud – white tom with blue eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Little – small tabby she-cat

Yucca – green eyed tom with a light brown pelt that sticks straight out

Glow – white she-cat with blue eyes

**Queens:**

Fallensky – amber eyed queen with yellow to red pelt that looks like the sunset. Mother of Bumble and Ripple.

Cloudedheart – blue eyed queen with a pelt the shades of all grey. Expecting Buckstorm's kits.

**Kits:**

Bumble – silver tabby tom with amber eyes

Ripple – black she-cat with blue eyes

**Elders:**

Solarpelt – amber eyed tom with flame coloured pelt

Stinkberry – calico she-cat with amber eyes

**Tribe of Broken Shadows:**

**Tribe Character: **Battle-hungry, aggressive, ambitious, and greedy for territory. It is said that the cold wind that blows across the Shadow Tribe territory chills their hearts and makes them suspicious and untrusting.

**Prey:** Frogs, lizards, and snakes that lives in Shadow Tribe's boggy, peaty territory. A secret food source is the Twoleg garbage dump on the far boundary, although they have to be careful not to eat infected rats or crow-food.

**Hunting Technique:** Shadow Tribe cats hunt by night better that other Tribe cats and are skilled at skulking unseen through the undergrowth.

**Territory:** Shadow Tribe's territory in a swampy, evergreen forest.

**(Known) Cats of Shadow Tribe:**

**Leader:**

Blazingnose Stars – black tom with amber eyes and a large scar across his nose. (wasp sting)

**Deputy:**

Heronpounce – grey tom with blue eyes. Apprentice: Moose

**Healer:**

Brindlehiss – ginger tabby tom with green eyes. Apprentice: Golden

**Warriors:**

Slatesprint – brown tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Fawn

Gullswipe – grey tom with blue eyes. Father of Cobra and Mint

Stormcoat – grey tom with amber eyes. Father of Snow and Flare

Red-dash – red she-cat with amber eyes

Cobblefur – grey she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentices:**

Moose – brown tom with amber eyes

Golden – golden she-cat with amber eyes

Fawn – fawn coloured she-cat with blue eyes

**Queens:**

Opalwhiskers – tabby queen with blue eyes. Mother of Cobra and Mint

Koinight – dark calico queen with amber eyes. Mother of Snow and Flare

**Kits:**

Cobra – brown tom with green eyes

Mint – grey she-cat with green eyes

Snow – white she-cat with blue eyes

Flare – orange tabby tom with green eyes

**Elders:**

Ciderlegs – black she-cat with brown back legs.

**Warriors Glossary **Catspeak: Humanspeak

**Crow-food: **rotting food

**Fox dung:** and insult; stronger offense than mouse-brain

**Fresh-kill:** recently killed prey

**Gatherings:** a meeting that the Tribes hold in peace at every full moon

**Greencough: **severe chest infection, which can be fatal in elders and young kits.

**Halfbridge: **a dock

**Horseplace: **fields and stables near the lake where half-tamed cats live

**Housefolk: **a house cat's work for its humans

**Kittypet: **A house cat

**Loner: **a cat that lives peacefully on its own in one place but doesn't defend its territory

**Monster:** usually refers to human machines such as cars and bulldozers

**Moonhigh:** the time of night when the moon is at its highest – often midnight

**Mouse-brained:** not very smart

**Mouse dung: **an insult; stronger than mouse-brain, but less offensive than fox dung

**One Moon: **one month (half-moon = two weeks, quarter-moon = one week)

**Rogue: **a potentially hostile cat who lives outside the Tribes and never spends too long in one place

**Jewelpelt:** the Milky Way

**Sunhigh:** noon

**Thunderpath:** a road

**Tree-eater:** bulldozer

**Twoleg nest:** a human house

**Twolegplace: **a human town

**Twolegs:** humans

**Whitecough:** mild chest infection

**Warrior Code: The Principles a Warrior Must Live By**

Defend your Tribe, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from other Tribes, but your loyalty must remain to your Tribe, ad one day you may meet them in battle.

Do not hunt or trespass on another Tribe's territory.

Elders and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders.

Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to Star Tribe for ts life.

A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice.

Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.

A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at lease one apprentice.

The deputy will become Tribe leader when the leader dies or retires.

After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.

A gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night.

Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.

No warrior may neglect a kit in pain or in danger, even if that kit is from a different Tribe.

The work of the Tribe leader is the warrior code.

An honourable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win a battle, unless they are outside the warrior code or it is necessary for self-defense.

A warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet.


End file.
